BBC Three reveals its post-reboot web-first programs

Come 16 February, the UK's TV landscape will look very different as BBC Three shifts from traditional broadcaster to an online channel. While that leaves a weird gap in the channel order -- BBC One, BBC Two, and BBC Four remain -- it also means a slate of new programming and web-optimised content for the youth-targeted network.

Web-first content will fall under two categories -- The Best Of and The Daily Drop. The former is centred on "original long-form programmes and a range of new content, including short form films", while the latter offers "stream of daily content including short-form videos, blogs, social media, image galleries, trending stories and daily updates from news and sport." Expect the Daily Drop to launch in beta over the next few days, ahead of the main channel relaunch. "It's the same award-winning programmes freed from the constraints of linear TV, and because we're freed from the schedule we can use whatever format and platform is most appropriate," said Damian Kavanagh, controller of BBC Three. "The shackles are off when it comes to creativity," Kavanagh adds. "In February, our new drama Thirteen will include companion story Find The Girl that interweaves a character that exists wholly online. Unsolved: The Boy Who Disappeared and Emelia's Story are exciting because we can now use different formats as well as TV to tell the story. Life Hacks shows how we can innovate with entertainment for new platforms. We're blazing a trail with content made exclusively for young people."

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Viewers can also expect "a series of London-set drama shorts featuring chance encounters between two people", produced in conjunction with Idris Elba's Green Door Pictures and BBC Drama. These will be designed to foster new and up-and-coming writers and providing new actors the chance to work with established talents. The new BBC Three will also host documentaries, including the provocative Murdered By My Father, which explores honour killings, and Black Power, centred on the Black Liberation Movement in the US.

Original content will also feature short-form media -- three-five minute shorts, for quick and easy sharing. BBC Three will also be making a huge social media push, across YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Vine and Tumblr.

More traditionally structured or entertainment content will include sitcom Cuckoo, which kicks off its third season when BBC Three takes its full online bow on 16 Feb, and Doctor Who spinoff Class, focused on Coal Hill School where former companion Clara Oswald taught in recent seasons, and which dates back to the very first episode of the series back in 1963.

If you don't fancy sitting down in front of your computer to watch though, there will be some bleedback from the online BBC Three to terrestrial television. All original content will be available both on the website and through iPlayer, accessible through all the usual non-computer avenues -- smart TVs, set top boxes, games consoles, etc -- and programming will "be repeated on BBC One or BBC Two at a later date."